More stuff on Missed Fortune 101

Scott Burns wrote for the Star Tribune a few weeks ago, asking: Is insurance the answer to pension-taxes dilemma? This idea, described in detail in Douglas Andrew’s Missed Fortune 101, “doesn’t survive testing in the Reality Lab,” according to Burns. Burns actually runs some numbers. Among other things, he cites: the high commissions charged for … Read more

About riding lawn mower repair

We bought a used riding lawn mower at an auction shortly after we got married (Spring 2002). A Yard Man with a 46″ cutting deck, hydrostatic drive, and a 20-HP Kohler engine. We paid $800, which was about a third of a comparable new one. Once we got the thing running pretty regularly, it’s been … Read more

“Being poor”

Frugal for Life had this post today on Being Poor from Scalzi.com’s “Whatever” blog. This post has taken a life of its own over the past few days. So much so, that comments were capped on the original post and started up again in a fresh post here. Hundreds of comments were posted in response … Read more

My new coffee toy

Coffee is a food group for me. (Yeah! That’s it! It’s a food group, not an addiction! ;)) I have a few “discount mugs” that mostly have “paid for themselves” in that the discounts on the refills have paid for the mugs. However, the coffee is still a lot more expensive than if you brew … Read more

OT: Friends in a rough situation

This isn’t financially related (off-topic). Friends of ours recently had a daughter, and the infant is in the NICU. The mother (Becca) has already written on her blog about it. How, I have no idea. It’s very rough for them now. Her post is here — I’m sure you’ll see what I mean. I’m also … Read more